Diesel drivers to pay more to park in Westminster City Council pilot

Drivers of diesel vehicles are to be charged an extra 50% to park in an area of central London in an attempt to cut pollution.

Westminster City Council, which is trialling the price hike, argues diesel cars are among the dirtiest on the roads and hopes the move will improve air quality.

From 3 April, any diesel driver using parking bays in Hyde Park, Marylebone and Fitzrovia will have to pay £7.35 an hour rather than the standard £4.90.

"Additional charges for diesel vehicles will mean people think twice about using highly polluting cars and invest in cleaner transport that will make a real difference in the quality of air we breathe and our environment," said the council's cabinet member for the environment, Councillor David Harvey.

Welcoming the council's initiative, father-of-three Stephen Quinn, who lives and works in Marylebone, said: "The poor air quality in our neighbourhood is palpable.

"We are extremely concerned about the long-term effect that this pollution is having on us, and, more importantly, our children.

"We desperately hope that this pilot will go towards making people realise that things must change."

Earlier this week, London Mayor Sadiq Khan issued for the first time the highest level pollution alert for the capital, as he condemned "the shameful state of London's toxic air".

He warned that "everyone - from the most vulnerable to the physically fit - may need to take precautions to protect themselves from the filthy air".

The London Air Quality Network, run by King's College London, said cold, calm settled conditions last weekend had led to a build up of emissions.

Across the UK, air pollution is thought to contribute to the early deaths of around 40,000 people a year.

It also exacerbates conditions such as lung diseases and asthma.